As It Is In Heaven
by princessg101
Summary: Sequel to Let Me - "All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream." ― Edgar Allan Poe


The Anatolia region was the fabled grounds of the Garden of Eden. It was where Heaven met Earth, God touched Man, and where Samuel Winchester would marry the Archangel Gabriel. Cas had been the one suggest it and Gabe fell in love with the idea immediately. So now Gabriel, Cas, Sam, Dean, Jack, Mary, Bobby, Charlie, and Rowena all gathered at ledge overlooking towering rock mountains and cloudless skies, the Tigris flowing peaceably into the horizon. Given the size of the wedding, they had opted not to do anything extravagant. Sam wore a suit san a tie and the top buttons opened while Gabriel sported an all-black suit and tie outfit. Gabriel also played designer and conjured up clothes to dress everyone as per their style. The only real requirement was that both grooms and their guests had small stalks of delphinium pinned over their hearts.

The sun had just begun to set, giving a burnished golden hue to heavens and Cas cleared his throat, "It's time." Gabriel and Sam moved to stand opposite one another while Dean stood behind Sam and Cas stood behind Gabriel. It was decided that Charlie would officiate and the red-head all but leapt at the challenge.

She cleared her throat and said seriously, "Marriage, marriage is what brings us together today. Marriage that blessed event, that dream within a dream -"

"Man and wife," Gabriel grumbled. "Say man and wife."

"Don't you dare," Sam shot back to a couple of snickers.

Charlie giggled, "Okay, in all honesty, I chose that reference as a tribute to you two. You've been through so much and yet your bond keeps bringing you back to each other. Today we are here to celebrate and reaffirm what is already a law of the universe, that true love does win and that nothing will ever keep Sam Winchester and Gabriel apart forever. Normally the person standing here would ask you to remember to love one another, to honour your commitment to each other but I don't think I need to. We all know there will never come a day when you forget to love or lose sight of your commitment. What I will ask is that you don't sacrifice this. You've given up so much but your happiness matters too. It's okay to be a little selfish when you've someone you intend to spend your life with. Hold on to your love and never let go." She waited for both men to nod their acknowledgement before smiling and gesturing to Cas and Dean. "The rings." They instantly reached into their pockets to pull out the wedding bands for the grooms. "You've written your own vows, so say them then place the ring on your husband's finger. Gabriel?"

"Oh okay," Gabriel took a breath. "Sam, for as long as I can remember, I've ran. Whenever anything got too much for me, I took off. Just to avoid facing a situation dead on. I did it when we first met, I did it at the Mystery Spot, and if it wasn't for the holy fire I would have done it at the warehouse too. But what I didn't want to acknowledge was that I was beginning to stay…for you. All those Tuesdays and that one Wednesday, it never occurred to me to leave. After it was over, I realised I didn't run like I normally did. I cared about you in a way I hadn't for anyone in such a long time. So naturally, I ran even harder. Tried to push you further away. Until…I was standing in front of my brother with an angel blade in hand because without making a decision I had chosen a side, yours." Gabriel sniffed, both men a little teary thinking back to the night at the Elysium.

"We made it," Sam whispered.

Gabriel nodded, "And for all we've been through, I've never regretted it. Not once. Never have I said I wish I hadn't put my money on Sam Winchester. I believe in you, my faith is with you, my strength _is_ you. You looked at me and saw more than what I did. Then hauled it out of me kicking and screaming. So today, Samuel Winchester, I swear that if I run, I'm running to you, with you because I love you and I am nothing without you." Gabriel slid the ring on Sam's finger, quickly raising the hand to kiss it. Mary and Charlie gave the tiniest sobs.

Sam lifted Gabe's hand, poised to place the band on. "When I was thinking about what I wanted to say I remembered something you said at the warehouse. You said, 'as it is in heaven, so it shall be on Earth'. You were right but not as Lucifer's intended vessel, it was you. I saw so much of my feelings, my emotions, in you. When you all but begged for the fight to be over, I could hear myself saying almost those same words years before when I left my family to go to school. You made me realise the price of running and the meaning of standing to fight. When you were gone, it destroyed me to know that you had given your life for us. Not just because you were gone but also that you wouldn't be there anymore. I guess a part of me hoped that you would be with us from then on, fighting with us, as my partner, the only angel I'd ever felt a deeper connection to. From the moment we met, you were my angel, my true other half. You are my fate and my destiny and I don't just accept that, I welcome it. I want you by my side, for as long as possible. I love you Gabriel." He put the ring on Gabe and kissed it gently.

At this point, Charlie was crossed between crying and beaming, "Just kiss!"

The group laughed and the pair shared a long kiss as the final embers faded into the horizon and the sky darkened into night. The two embraced under a fresh blanket of stars, "I love you so much Sammy," Gabriel whispered.

"I love you too Sugar," Sam returned. He loosened his arms to look at Gabriel but something was wrong, it was dark, he couldn't see anything. "Gabe?"

"I'm here," the archangel replied but he sounded far away. "Sam? Sam? Where are you?"

"Gabriel?" Sam felt his arms empty and swung them wildly. Where was everyone? Why weren't they helping him? "GABRIEL! Dean, I can't find Gabriel, what just happened? GABRIEL!"

"Sam." Sam's eyes snapped open. He lay in his bed in the bunker, Castiel stood over him, one hand on his shoulder. "You're alright."

"I – I – I -" Sam looked down at his plain clothes disbelieving, no, none of this was right.

"You don't have to explain." Cas said stoically. "If I could dream, I would be with Dean myself."

"Yeah," Sam looked over at the empty space of bed, loss crashing against his heart. "Um Cas, I'd like to be alone right now."

"Of course, I understand," Cas made to leave but paused. "I have to ask, what's it like? Dreaming? Being with them again?"

"It hurts too much to wake up," Sam said softly. Cas nodded sadly then left. Sam reached under the pillow and retrieved the shirt he'd given Gabriel the night he returned. He held it close, letting it stifle his sobs and soak his tears. He fell back onto his side, still clutching the clothes, he needed the scent. For as much as it hurt to wake up, he couldn't help but close his eyes.


End file.
